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The State Historical Society of Wisconsin 
Bulletin of Information No. 24 

Januai'y, 1905 



I. Conference of State and Local Historical 
Societies 

II. The Work of American Historical Societies 
III. The Authenticity of Carver's ''Travels" 



Being items of interest fvom the Chicago meeting of the American Historical 



Associa' ion, December 28-30, 1904 



ti 




Wisconsin Historical Society 



CONFERENCE OF STATE AND LOCAL HISTORICAL 

SOCIETIES 



In accordaiice with an in\'itati()n enianatinjo' from the pn'o- 
granwne conimiittee of the American Historical Association, a 
conference, -or "ronnd table," of state and local historical soci- 
eties was held in Chicago, on the moniing of Thnrsdaj, De- 
cemher 29th, 1904, in connection with the anamal meetinig of 
the national asso>ciatioii. 

The ODnference was called to order at 10:30 a. ni. in the 
library of Re^-nokls Club Honse, University of Chicago, by 
Reid>eiii Grold Thwaite\-;, of the Wisconsin Historical Society, 
-'•ho had been designated by the committee as chairman of tho 
meeting. Frederick W . JMoore, of the Tennessee Historical 
Society, was selected by the delegates as secretary. 

The chair briefly stated the objects of the gathering' to l>e an 
infonnial consultation concerning the problems which beset the 
societies and the state de]"iartments of archives and history. 
The invitation extended to the organizations and departments, 
had in the main been restricted to tliose of the West and South, 
because, in the opinion of the committee, the Eastern societies 
were not a,s a, mle confronted by the questions which troubled 
those in the newer states. Institutions invited to attend had 
been asked for suggestions. Many had replied, their letters 
covering so wide a rang(>' that it was ap]T^arent that a two hours' 
meeting would unifortunately hardly suffice to' touch upon a 
tithe of the interesting discussions proposed. It had therefore 
been determined by the committee to restrict discussion at this 
first conference to two points — ^the best methods of organizing 
state historical work, and the possibilities of co-operation, be-- 
t^^'«en societies. 

[2] 

8 DEC 1905 



('?05 Conference of Societies 

Under tlie first head — forms of ora:>rLization, and the rela- 
tions of the work to the state g'overnnient — Thomas ^E. Owen, 
director of the department of archives and history of Alabama, 
opened the discnssion. Mr. O^ven enlarged npon the dnty 
wliich each state owes \o its archives and liistorv, and advocated 
tlie organization of a state department of archives and history 
charged w'th the duty cf caring for tlie archives of the state 
departments and the local government, as well as the collection 
if miseellanieons historical material, and the diffusion of his- 
t:n-ical knowledge. The possibility of establishing a practical, 
non-|artisan department was ilhistratc«l l»y the example of 
.Vlabama, Avhere the persomiel of the first board was specified 
in the creating' act, and tliat botard made practically self-per- 
]^?tnating, subject to o oifirmiation by the senate. 

Warren I^pham, secietary of the Minnesota Historical Soci- 
ety, presented arguments in favor of this work being performed 
by well-established sccieties, and done at public expense. Tlie 
societies of Wisconsin, TCansa.s, I^ebraska, low^a, and Minnesota 
\vei"e in this (ronn«ct.ion parrirularly described. Important in 
this organization is the large, well distributed and representa- 
tive membersliip. whicli brin_2"s ]'ier&onial infiuence and enthusi- 
asm to the cause. Whru-e tlie work is thus already developed 
by the societies, there: is undouhted wisdom in maintaining the 
existing system. 

A. C McLauiihliii, director <.f the Bureau of Historical Re- 
searcli in tlie Caniegie Institution of Washington, was intro- 
duced and asked to state the plans of tliat institution. These 
look rather to aiding than to undertaking research. In thia 
respect the interest and appreciatiou (if the historical societie-s 
of the c untry is desii-cd.. It is IiojmmI that the institution mar 
he of service to them and that, by proper correlaticmi, duplica- 
tion ci' work and needie-s searching may Ise avoided. The in- 
stitntif n hopes eventually to secure the ti'anscrijjtion of all 
American di)cumeuts in l'!iii()];<'aii archives, as well as to calen- 
<lar all c.)llectioiis of such traiiscriprfs already in the United 
States. The last undertaking will be entered upon immedi- 

[ •'' ] 



Wisconsin Historical Society 

ately — the former will, in due course, be carried forward in 
connection with the Library of C'ong'res®. 

The question of the possibilities of mutual co-operation be- 
tween societies, state and local, was then taken up. C. M. 
Blurtoni, president of the Michiiian Pioneer and ttistorieal So^- 
ciety, illustrated the theme by citing eases (1) in which the 
work of printing" historical materials has been duplicated ; and 
(2) in which the documents have been printed only in part, 
those portions bein'g; omitted which were not pertinent to the 
particular local or biographical purpose of the editor. Mr. 
Burton wa,s not quite sure that duplication was always an evil, 
because the constituencies of tlie different societies were often 
v/idely separated, and few of the members had £iccess to the 
publications of the otlier organizations; duplication meant, 
often, a, wider distribution of material — but at least there 
might be a saving in tlie costly and laborious tasks of editing 
and indexing ; and there might surely be profitable coi-operation 
in the securing of tran'^cripts and of research. Then again, 
certain fields of ]mbliccition could well be divided, as for in 
stance between Wisconsin and Michigan and Minnesota. 

Benjamin F. Shambaugh, of the State Historical Society of 
To-\^'a, also pj-esented the matter of co-operation between state 
and local historical societie®, 'particularly in the stimulation <^)f 
public interest, in the co-operative collection of materials, in 
the exchanginig of dupli (rates, and in the publication of mutu- 
filly interesting; data. 

Franklin L. Riley, of the Mississippi Historical Society, 
described the oondition of affairs in that state, where the effi- 
ciently-supported department of archives and history, under 
the direetorship of Dnnlvar Eowland, carries on the work of 
collecting and caring for the materials of history ; while the 
historical society carriesi on the work of research and ]>roducing 
historical monographs, Isolds frequent meetings, and promotes 
field ^vork thi'oughout the state. 

The several addresses were attentively listened to, and elic- 
ited numerous questions, i^liowing a hearty- iiiterest on the part 
of all present. In summing iq> tbe result of this first confer- 

[4] 



Conference of Societies 

CMice of lii;=t.orica] societies and departnients, tlie chairman, said 
thiat it Ava* quite evident tiiat ainona the earliest needs was the 
]>nl.ii( Mtion of calendars <;f each other's mamiscript collections, 
on sjonie well-aece]rted plan ; there were also needed pnhlished 
lists of other historical material Avhich was available to scholars, 
in the several society and de})iartmeiital collections, sucli las 
maps, portraits, engTavings. and illnstrative material generally. 

Sectional or neighborhood co-operation was also highly desir- 
able. The Louisiana Purchase states, thoise in 'the Old ISJlorth- 
west, Kentuc]\y and Tenii.essee, the Middle West, the Missis- 
sii)pi \"alley, the Gnlf States, the Pacific Coast, the Canadian 
Xo]i;hwest, etc., were all of thean sections whose societies ot 
departments might profitably get together now and then to dis- 
eiiiss historical needsi — ^the sources of docaunents, the piarceUing 
out of possible ])ul>lications, the discovery of gaps which 
need to be filled ; together with cjuestions of administration, 
])uldie and private support, nuiseums, leetnres, etc. 

Xational ca>o]ji?Tation>, he thought, was also quite feasible. 
]\fethods and ideals might he im])ro^'ed by annual conferences 
like the present. There might weW be a national connnittoe, 
or possiibly a commission charged with this object like the 
Hisitorical ]\Iannscri]>ts and Pnblic Archives coinmissionsi) , 
seeking to eft'ect a general imi>rovement — not rejecting geneal- 
ogy, as has sometimes been urged, but seeking to draw the line 
between that and real liistO'rical work, and cordially co^Oiperatr 
ing, wherever need be, with the genealogical societies. Then 
again we shall find the Library of C^jngress and the Carnegie 
Institnticn eager for our co-o])e'i'ation ; indeed they are already 
soliciting oiii* snggestions as to work desirable lor them to nn- 
dertake both at home and abii'ctad. 

On motion of Mr. Owen, the council of the American Ilis- 
toi-ical Association was unanimously requested either to fonn 
a seotit n. oai histfu-ical societies, or to ]Wovi(le for further round 
tables, the chainnan and secretary thereof- to 1x3 appointed by 
the council, and such officers to provide a, iirogra.uiime for at 
lea-^t two meolings at the next session of the national associa- 
tion. 

[r>] 



Wisconsin Historical Society 

Tlie following delegales were aocredited to the coaiference, 
and nearly all were present: 

Alabama Department of Archives and History, Montgomery — Dr. 

Thomas M. Owen, director. 
Buffalo (N. Y.) Historical Society — Frank H. Severance, secretary. 
Carnegie Institution of Washington, Bureau of Historical Rersearch — 

Prof. A. C. McLaughlin, and Waldo G. Leland. 
Chicago Historical Society — Dr. J. W. Fertig, secretary, Dr. A. L. 
Schmidt S. H. Kerfoot, Jr., and Miss Caroline Mcllvaine, librarian. 
Evanston (HI.) Historical Society — J. Seymour Currey, secretary, and 

Frank B. Grover, vice president. 
German American Historical Society, Philadelphia — Emil Mannhardt, 

Chicago. 
Hlinois State Historical Society, Springfield — Dr. J. F. Snyder, presi- 
dent, J. F. Steward, Paul Selby, A. M., and Prof. Edwin E. Sparks, 
Iowa Historical Department, Des Moines — Hon. Charles Aldrich, cur- 
ator, and Miss Mary R. Whitcomb, assistant cui-ator. 
Iowa State Historical Society, Iowa City — Prof. B. F. Shambaugh, 

Dr. Frank E. Horrack, secretary, and T. J. Fitzpatrick, collector. 
Kansas Historical Society, Topeka — Col. George W. Martin, secretary. 
Louisiana Historical Society, Nev/ Orleans — William Beer, Prof. Alcee 
Fortier, president, and Dr. James S. Zacharie, first vice president. 
McLean County (111.) Historical Society, Bioomington — George P. 
Davis, president, Ezra M. Prince, secretary, and John H. Burnham, 
chairman of executive committee. 
Manitoba Historical Society, Winnipeg — Rev. Dr. George Bryce. 
Maumee Valley (Ohio) Pioneer and Historical Association, Defiance — 

Dr. Charles E. Slocum. 
Michigan Pioneer and Historical Society, Lansing — Clarence M. Bur- 
ton, president, Detroit, and Hon. Peter White, Marquette. 
Minnesota Historical Society, St. Paul — Prof. Warren Upham, secre- 
tary. 
Mississippi Department of Archives and History, Jackson — Hon. Dun- 
bar Rowland, director. 
Mississippi Historical Society, University — Dr. Franklin L. Riley, sec- 
retary. 
Missouri Historical Society, St. Louis — Judge William B. Douglas, 

president, and F. A. Sampson, secretary. 
Missouri State Historical Society, Columbia — Dr. Isador Loeb, secre- 
tary, and Dr. Jonas Viles. 
Nebraska Historical Society, Lincoln — Prof. H. W. Caldwell. 
New York University — Marshall S. Brown. 

[<3] 



Conference of Societies 

Northern Indiana Historical Society, South Bend — George A. Baker, 

secretary, and Otto M. Knoblock. 
Ohio Historical and Philosophical Society, Cincinnati — Joseph Wilby, 

president, and Prof. Merrick Whitcomb, curator. 
Ohio State ArchEeological and Historical Society, Columbus — E. O. 

Randal;, secretary. 
"Old Northwest" Genealogical Society, Columbus, Ohio — Capt. N. W. 

Evans, Portsmouth. 
Peoria (111.) Historical Society — Prof. Charles T. Wycoff. 
Richland County (Ohio) Hisforical Society. Columbus — Hon. E. O. 

Randall, Columbus, and A. G. Baughman, secretary, Mansfield. 
Tennessee Historical Society, Nashville — Dr. R. A. Halley. 
Texas State Historical Association, Austin — Prof. George P. Garrison. 
U. S. Daughters of 1812, Illinois Branch, Chicago — Mrs. Robert Hall 

Wiles, president. 
"Wayne County (Ind.) Historical Society, Richmond — Prof. Cyrus W. 

Hodgin. 
Western Illinois State Normal School, Macomb — Prof. James C. Burns. 
Western Reserve Historical Society, Cleveland, O. — Wallace H. Cath- 

cart, secretary, and William H. Miner. 
Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison — Hon. William W. Wight, 

president. Dr. R. G. Thwaites, secretary, Henry E. Legler, and 

Dr. Frederick J. Turner. 
Wyoming (Pa..) Historical and Geological Society — Thomas Lynch, 

Montgomery, state librarian. 

Frederick W. jVIoore, 

Secretary 



N. B. — Later in tlie day, the council of the American His- 
torical Association voted that a similai' round table of state 
and local hist-orical societies and departments be held as one of 
the features of the anainal meetino- in Baltimjore, next winter. 
l>r. Tliomias 31. OAven, director of the x\labama Department of 
Archives and History, was appointed chairman o:^ tlie roimd 
table, and Prof. Bon jam in V. Shambaug'h, of the Univei'sity of 
Iowa, secretan-. 

The council a]?pointed a siib-connmittee of the As9ociati0'n.'s 
general committee, said suib-committee to report at the neixt ses- 
sion ui>on "the test methods of organization and work on the 



Wisconsin Historical Society 

part of state and local liistorioal societies." Secretary Reuben 
G. Thwaites of the Wisconsin Historical Society waiS named 
as cliainnan, with Prof. Benjamin F. Shambaugh of the Iowa 
Historical Society and Prof. Franklin L. Riley of the 'Missis- 
sippi Historical Society as the other members. 



[8] 



Work of Societies 



THE WORK OF AMERICAN HISTORICAE SOCIETIES 



At the general session of tlie Amierican Historieal Assooia- 
tion on tlie evening] of December 29tli, Prof. Heniy EL Bourne, 
of Western Resen'^e University, Cleveland, Oliio, who lias de- 
^■1^t.ed inucli time ito the stndy of the work of state and local 
-ocietievS, }>resented a, paper with the above title. 

Professior Bourne siaid that tlie sooieties west of the Alle- 
ghanies had had an ini)])ortant share in creating a wider pop- 
ular interest Jin Westerni history. The space given in man- 
uals to the colonial period of the original states has of late years 
l^een shortened in order to give morei space to the colonial 
^jieriod of the states of the Middle West and the West. The 
diversity between these societies had had certain advantages in 
'•i-eaiing a friendly sectional strife which is now leading to 
a niiore catholic cuiriosity. ''EiVerywhere, thei achievements of 
societies like the Wisconsin, the Massiachusetts, and the Penn- 
syh^ania are lield up. as i>roofs of what has or should, be accoin- 
]>lished." But he thoiight that the time had come for intel- 
ligent co-operation. 

Historical societies, he said, ''are, broadly speaking, of two 
types, illustrated l>y the MiaissachusettiS' and the Wisconsin." 
The ]VrassacliusettiS organization, while bearing the name of a 
gToat commonwealth, "is not 'a state organization nor does it 
receive a su,bsidy from the state. Resident menibershi]>, re- 
stricted to one hundred, is evidence of social ]>roniinen'cej or 
<f special acliievement \n historical investigation. The soci- 
ety is a characteristic piroduct of a period and of a state in 
which higher edncati'on and similar scientific activities were, 
and are still, left mainly to ])rivate initiative and generosity. 
Of thi(^ same tyjio arc ihe X(>\v York and tlio Pennsvlvania 

[9] 



Wisconsin Historical Society 

societies, ami with some reservations, nearly all the Eiastern 
organizations. Tlie Wisconsin Historical Society, on the |other 
hand, is a state institution, ]jahitially honsed and generously 
smpported by the state. Its membership is unrestricted, save 
by the payment of a small fee. Liike the great state univers- 
ities of the West, it is an example of wise utilization of the 
puhlic wealth to promote the intellectual interestiS of the ccui- 
munity ... It is a gTou]]i of individuals to which the 
state has o.'itrusted the administration of importanti interests, on 
its executive conimjittee being placed by law the three prin- 
cipal state officials. S<3cieties of the same type, an:d avowedly 
patterned after it, exists in Minnesota, Iowa, Xebraska, Kansas, 
and several other West^ern states." 

After discusising the several types of societies, but in the main 
along the two principal lines, Professor Bourne stated that 
there are between four and hve hundred historical societies 
in the United States, of whom a little over three hundred have 
issued p'ublications of one kind or another. Many of the 
others live only in name, and indeed some of the publishiug 
societies have been evaiuscent in character. In Alabama and 
Mississippi, there are voi'^" successful state depiartments of 
arc}ii\'e^ and liistory, so organized as to be beyond the reach 
of ]>olitic:al control ; and this i>lan is being adopted in a few 
other Southei'n states^ — Tennessee, in piarticular. Such de- 
]>artments work in conjunction with state historical societies, 
the latter existing chieliy for the ]>urp0'se of aciciummulating 
miaterial and preparing historical treatises ; both in Alabama 
and in Mississippi, the society controls the department. 

Professor Bourne alsoi discussed the publications of the sev- 
eral societies, which differ widelv in character, and are often 
irregular in time of issue. In many of thes© institutions, 
sp^ecial publishing funds have been provided ; in others, the 
town, city, oi' state publishes for the society, as the result of 
r.pecial legislation for each publication ; others, as In Wisoouh 
sin and Michigan, regularly issue Colledioyrs or Proceedings 
through the usual machinery of the! state printing department, 

[ 10 ] 



Work of Societies 

"If the society has no resources save its iiienil)erslii]> fees, its 
activities are n'^cessarily restricted." 

Professor Rourne conelnded his interestin;2; and instnictive 
simmiary of the work of the societies, with a l>lea hoth for 
closer rehitions l)etA\'eerj tlie societies and the teachers of his^ 
torv, and for co-o]ieration between ihe societies theniselves: 

"One cannot review even in tlie most cnrsoTy fashion the 
Work of Anieri'oan historical societies without beingi impressed 
by the number of centres of activity and the substantial 
result'^ already accouiplished. If there are societies that 
are moribund, this is due either to the lack of an in- 
come sufficient to enable some 'one, in. the words of Dr. 
Thwaites, to 'devote his entire time to the work, becoming" per- 
sonally responsible for the conduct of the society's a,ffairs, and 
imparting to it life and individual character,' or to a loss of 
(■ >usc:'.)Tisness on the ]iart of its directors of what other socie^- 
tics are doing. Part <:f the remedy lies in greater co-opera- 
tinii an King so'cieties in the same state, and between the soci- 
""'S anid the historical faculties of the local universities. In 
a, few states, as in AVisconsin, it is arranged that local societies 
are memljers of the state society, and may each send a voting 
delegate to meetings. 

''The importance of i7itimate relations between the societies 
and historical faculties is evident from the fact that the larger 
fac/iiltic'^, with their bodies of graduate students, are virtually 
liistorical societies, engaged in innportant researches, the re- 
snlts (f which appear in published theses or in series of pub- 
li(i;iti(.ns like the f^ohnnbia Sfudics in Iliston/, Economics, and 
I'lthlic Ltiif. the Harvard 11 tdor'icul Studies, and the Johns 
lljojvkins Lhiiversity Studies in Historical and Political Science. 
The relations of these two bodies are especially intimate in 
Wiscrnsin, Iowa, ^Xbbi'aska, and Mississippi. The niember- 
shij) (f several of the older societies. Tike the Massachusetts, 
the Kliode Island, and the Pennsylvania, includes members of 
the facnltio'^ of TIar^'ard, ]>rown, and tlie ITniversity of Penn- 
sylvania. It is difhcult to establish such relatioiiis unless the 
two are cinvenientlv near one another. 

[11] 



Wisconsin Historical Society 

"Is it possible to increat>e the co-operation between the soci- 
eties as a whole? Tbose most actively interested in them, are 
lienerally members of either the Amierioan Librai-y Associa- 
tion or of this association, sometimes of both. Last Septem- 
ber, at. St. Louis, steips were taken to affiliate for common work 
on the history of the Louisiana Purchase, the societies of states 
and territories once inchiirled within its limits, and of neigh- 
boring states/ In France, the historical societies, with the 
other scientific associations, hold an annual congress which, is 
jniuch like the annua-l meetings of this association. The con- 
gress is directed by the comite des tra.vaUuX historiques, which 
is apipointed by thiC ministry nf juiblic: instiructioni. If some 
conmuon direction is needed in a highly centralized country 
like France, where the intellectual life centres in Paris, it is 
much more nieceesa,ry here. The necessity is present, the 
materials are at hand, the question is — ^What shall be done ?" 



lA committee on organization was appointed at the St. Louis confer- 
ence, consisting of President Walter B. Douglas of the Missouri His- 
torical Society, President Alcee Fortier of the Louisiana Historical Eo' 
ciety, and Secretary Reuben G. Thwaites of the Wisconsin Historical 
Society. On call of Judge Douglas a meeting to discuss organization 
was held at the Chicago University, the afternoon of Thursday, Decem- 
ber 29th. The opinion of the majority of those present appeared, how- 
ever, to be unfavorable to so extended and formal an organization as 
that proposed at St. Louis; but quite desirous of frequent sectional 
conferences and of an annual round table, as later provided for by the 
council of the national association. The committee was nevertheless 
continued, with authority to report next year. 



[12] 



Carver's Travels 



THE AUTHENTICITY OF CARVER'S ''TRAVELS" 



111 liis paper on ''The Travels of Jolinathaai lOarver,"^ read 
before the Amerieiaii IlisDorieal AssociatioD- in. Chicago, the 
evening of December '29, 1904, Prof. E.. G. Boiiiiriie of Yale 
Uiiiversitv, presented the results of an investigation as to the 
originality and aiithentioity of the second paxt of this famons 
book, ^^•lliell is devoted to giving a systematio acconut of the 
maimers and enstome of the Indians in the I^orthwest, and of 
the animals and products of the soil. 

Professor Bonnie brought to light, the fact, that as tearly as 
1792 Oliver Wolcott of Oonnectiout, then oomiptroller of the 
rreasiuT in Philadelphia, wrote the geographer Jedidiah 
AJjorse, that he ha.d teeii inforined on ffoo'd a,ntliority that the 
l;ook was written under very inauspicious circnnistances ; 'add- 
ing that Carver w^as an ignorant niian, incapable of writing 
sneli a work, and that tliere was reason to believe it to be a 
compilation from other authors. ~' 

Xext, he cited conite)U]»raneoiis but. entirely independent 
criticisms by Schoolcraft in 1.S23,"'' and by Keating in 1824,'* 



1 Jonathan Carver, Travels through the Interior Parts of North Amer- 
ica, in the Years IKUi. IKH', and /7'6',s' (London, 1778). Later editions 
v/ere: London, 1779, 1781; Philadelphia, 1784, 1789, 1792, 1795, 1796; 
Boston, 1794, 1797; Edinburgh, 1798, 1807, 1808; Charleston, 1802; Wal- 
pole, N. H., 1813, 1838; New York, 1838. There were translations into 
German (Hamburg, 1780), French (Paris, 1784; Tours, 1852), and 
Dutch (Leyden, 1796). 

-Gibbs, Memoirs of the Administrations of Washington and Adams 
(New York, 1846), i, p. 76. 

-Schoolcraft, Personal Memoirs (Philadelphia. 1851), p. 196. 

■* Keating, History of Long's Expedition (Philadelphia, 1824), i, pp. 
325, 326. 

[13] 



Wisconsin Historical Society 

bctli of whoiiL assert lluit rlio nntlicr of the Travels drew con- 
siderably from Tiab.ont;ii). In addition, 'Sbhoolcraft declared 
that material was al-^u derived from Charlevoix's Travels. 
More detailed and mcr.' ]x;sitive still, Aveire the assertions of 
Greenhow, the historian of Oreo-Dn, that the second part, of 
Carver's Travels was a compdlation from Charlevoix, Henne- 
]>in, and Liahontan/ Greenhow was familiar with Keating's 
views, l.nt apparently not Avith Schoolcraft's, whose Memoirs 
were pnblished in 1851, or with AVolcott's, whose letter first 
saw light in 184(j. These early criticisms appear to have 
eeoaped the notice of later writers \\\uy have written np'on Car- 
ver's Travels, for neither Moses Cioit Tyler, in liis^ Hislory of 
ximerican Literature, nor the authors of the articles on Car- 
ver in the various cyclopaedias, breathe any suspicion as to 
tlie authenticity of the work. 

In tlie second part of his paper, Professui- liiimrne gave the 
results of his. a-ttempt to test the correotnese of the assertions 
of W(deott, Schoolcraft, Keating, and Greenlnjw. He cited 
a few passages sbowing how tlie author of the Travels, who- 
ever he might be, drew froan books inform afioui which a gen- 
uine traveller would not think of going to books for. For 
example, the description of the jjcrsonal appearance of the 
Indians was taken fi-om Lialiontan; of their keenness in de- 
tecting a trail, from Charlevoix; of their game of lacrosse, 
])artly from Charlevoix and partly froui Adair's History of the 
American Indians. The description of the Indian sled (or 
toboggan), Avith which the real Carver must liave been perfect! v 
familiar, is take<u word for word from Charlevoix. Again, the 
real Carver must have many times seen Indian-^ seal]) prisoners, 
for he v,'a,s a veteran, of the French and Indian War, and one 
of the survivors of the Fort Willian Henry raassacre ; but notr 
withstanding audi presumable personal observation, the author 
cf Carver's Travels l>nrrows word for word Adair's account 
< f the jrccess of scal];ing. The accounts of the animals are 
largely from Charlevoix. '-The short, vocabulary of the Chipt- 

1 Greenhow. History of Oreron (Boston, 1845), pp. 142, 144. 

[ II ] 



Carver's Travels 

peway Laiiiiiuiae" i^ almost entirely taken from Laliontan's 
''Dictioiiarv (if the Aliinnkin Lanonage." Sbme of the changes 
are ];aire bhniders (f haslv transcription, which one faniiliar 
with the langnage, as Carver ]>retcncled to be, conld Hot have 
made; as, for example, where Carver gives Shrshiktree foT 
"dart,'' when ].nhontan gives it as the name ol a particnlar 
kind of dance; or again, where Carver gi^^es the word for 
"heart" whicli Lahontan ga\'e for "hart." 

Professor Bourne's conchision was, that the second and larger 
l>art of ( \u"ver's I'ravcJs is not an oriiiiii;al work, hnt a liter- 
ary compilation, like Sir John Mandeville's Travels or 
liciizoni's History of the New ^]^ovJd; and that the first part 
was probahly put together bv the same writer, from Carver's 
notes or oral recollections. As to the extent or reality of 
C:a,rver's jonrney np tlie St. Peter's (or Minnesota) Piver, 
Prifessor B-onrne felt disi>oised to accepit the A'iew of Iveiaring, 
who apparently had studied the qnestion xevx thoroughly on 
the ground, that Car^'er had entered the river hut did not 
• ii'i ■' IS far as he pretended. 



[15] 



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WERT 
BOOKBINDING 

Crantkiile Pa 
Sept Oci 1988 






